Following the post I sent yesterday on the decision of the PYD
leadership to send the YPG in as ground forces for the Russian
Blitzkrieg against the anti-Assad rebels of Aleppo province, the other
main issue often arising in discussion is that of which rebel groups
control the various parts of Aleppo now under attack.
For many, this is a good excuse to support this thoroughly
counterrevolutionary action: Oh, but that area is controlled by Nusra,
so it’s good that the “democratic” forces are ejecting them (even if
with Russian air power – let me try that: Oh, but Iraq is run by Saddam
Hussein, who is an extremely brutal tyrant, so of course we need to
fight on the side of the US Blitzkrieg to unseat him, etc etc).
A particularly disgusting, not to mention disappointing in the extreme,
example of this was a tweet sent by the head of the
leftist/Kurdish-based HDP in Turkey, Demirtaş: “Davutoğlu says #Azez
won't fall. Who's in Azez? Al Nusra and Ahrar ash-Sham. Rapists & people
who sell women”
(https://twitter.com/hdpenglish/status/701036280751247361).
Now the level of outright racism and dehumanisation in this tweet is
unbelievable (so ordinary Arabic people don’t live there?), and of
course it is also a lie that either Nusra or Ahrar al-Sham engage in a
policy of rape (that would be the Assad regime) or sell women (ISIS).
But as we will see, it is also a lie about who is actually in control of
Azaz.
………………………………………………………………………..
First I have to say that I disagree with the premise in any case. It is
up to the local peoples to choose their political/military leaderships
in revolutionary situations (in the same way as the PYD/YPG is in
control of Kurdish regions), and to change them; and even if we dislike
some of them, it is not up to an outside force; still less one operating
with Russian air support, to forcefully eject them; and the ethnic
factor in a military attack cannot be ignored, even if the SDF may
theoretically be very good on the multi-ethnic issue.
In addition, most areas have been controlled by coalitions of rebel
groups. Trying to single out areas allegedly controlled only by “Nusra”
would be very frustrating; in general there is a loose military alliance
between all the factions confronting the Assad regime/ISIS, necessary
due to the overwhelming military superiority of those two (especially
the regime), and their cooperation. Politically, Nusra tends to stand
out on a limb compared to all other groups, but in military terms, not
attacking Nusra now is entirely sensible (though the FSA often finds
itself clashing with Nusra *in defence* against Nusra transgressions);
and in any case, as we’ll see below, Nusra has much less to do with the
Aleppo fighting than is commonly made out.
But anyway, I did a little research to do a summary.
Azaz
First, on Azaz. In September 2013, ISIS seized Azaz from the ‘Northern
Storm’ brigade of the Free Syrian Army. Before that, Northern Storm had
put up a several-month resistance to furious ISIS siege, thereby also
protecting PYD-controlled Afrin further west; the YPG did not lift a
finger. But in January 2014, the FSA and other rebels drove ISIS out of
the whole of western Syria (and temporarily much of eastern Syria), and
so it was of course driven from Azaz. Since January 2014 Azaz has again
been the major connection between the rebels and sources of funds, arms,
trade, refuge etc in Turkey. That is why it is so crucial for the rebels
to keep control of Azaz.
Since then, the main militia controlling it has again been FSA Northern
Storm (Liwa Asifat al-Shamal (according to this well-researched article
from January 2015:
http://www.aymennjawad.org/15865/special-report-northern-storm-and-the-situation),
just as it was before September 2013; therefore, the YPG has attacked,
with the aid of Russian airstrikes on children’s hospitals, those who
previously protected it. This article continues: “also present within
Azaz town but lacking any governing authority is Syria's al-Qa'ida
affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (it runs a mosque) … Northern Storm also
solely controls the (nearby) town of Sawran”
(http://www.aymennjawad.org/15865/special-report-northern-storm-and-the-situation).
Notably, despite long-term tension between Azaz and Afrin, there has
also been significant cooperation, which underlined the potential, and
the folly of the YPG’s siege of Azaz:
“However, there was some limited cooperation of convenience in the fight
to drive ISIS out … Since Northern Storm returned to Azaz officially
under the authority of Liwa al-Tawhid and the Islamic Front in Aleppo
(now the Levant Front), there has been official neutrality despite
suspicion that reinforcements come from Afrin to the regime-held Shi’a
villages of Nubl and Zahara. Securing water from Afrin would therefore
require greater outreach to the PYD, which may be one of the underlying
reasons behind the agreement publicly announced in February (2015)
between the PYD’s military wing the YPG and the Levant Front,
stipulating a united judicial system, establishing joint Shari’a and da’wah
offices in Aleppo and Afrin, and working together to crack down on
crime. Of course, Jabhat al-Nusra is opposed to any such arrangements
with the PYD/YPG, which it considers to be apostate entities”
(http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/the-administration-of-the-local-council-in-azaz/).
Menagh airbase
Syria Direct
(http://syriadirect.org/news/side-campaign-in-north-aleppo-raises-fears-of-sdf-linking-kobani-to-afrin/)
reports that the base had been held by a combination of Ahrar a-Sham and
Jabha al-Shamiya (also known as Shamiya Front, or Levant Front).
Meanwhile, we also read that the “YPG has sent an ultimatum to the FSA
and Ahrar Al-Sham and other groups, either give them the Menagh Airbase
or they will take it militarily”
(https://twitter.com/VivaRevolt/status/697096507250581506), while a
statement by the FSA FastaqemUnion claims it was “under the national
brigades of the FSA”
(https://twitter.com/FkoUnion/status/698990013007196168). Rudaw also
claims the YPG seized it from “the Levant Front,” ie, Shamiya Front
(http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/11022016).
“FSA” could well refer to either Northern Storm or, more loosely, to the
Shamiya Front, or other smaller FSA groups. The claim that “Nusra” was
there at all now seems most likely to just be standard YPG propaganda.
Ahrar al-Sham is a relatively hard-line Islamist militia (though one
that has continually condemned violations by Nusra and even clashed woth
it recently). However, the Shamiya Front, while broadly speaking it may
be called ‘Islamist’, this is only true in the same sense that various
Christian liberation theologists could be described as “political
Christian” (for those who immediately express outrage, I recommend
checking your Islamophobia levels). A coalition of starkly moderate,
FSA-aligned ‘Islamists’ – nothing remotely like Ahrar al-Sham or Jaysh
Islam for example – who have all played leading roles in the war against
ISIS, the Shamiya Front’s ‘Islamist’ credentials are best shown in this
video where they treat ISIS prisoners to a mock execution, with a
terrific ending:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/syrian-rebel-brigade-al-shamiya-front-punk-isis-prisoners-with-mock-execution/news-story/a70b7280f010cccbd6a7136c03848e84.
In a recent Op-Ed in FP, Shamiya Front leader Abdallah al-Othman says
they are “local fighters who wish to attain democracy and defend our
hometowns from slaughter,” and declares “the Levant Front desires a
Syria that is free and pluralistic, with respect for human rights,
peaceful elections, and the rule of law”
(http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/17/fighting-for-aleppo-abandoned-by-the-world-islamic-state-levant-front-isis/).
If an ‘Islamist’ group like this deserves to be attacked by YPG/SDSF
thugs supporting by Russian terror bombing, then we clearly are not on
the same page.
Tel Rifaat
It is very difficult to get a clear idea of who exactly “controls” the
iconic revolutionary town Tel Rifaat, if not simply a coalition like
elsewhere. What we do know is that it was in Tel Rifaat that ISIS
mastermind, Hajji Bakr, was killed by rebels as the anti-ISIS war began
in earnest early January 2014; and his family was taken prisoner by Liwa
al-Tawhid, the strikingly moderate ‘Islamist’ brigade that previously
dominated Aleppo before breaking apart when its leader was killed by
Assad. So ‘moderate’ in fact, that one former part of it, the Northern
Sun Brigade, is now with SDF (so they have ‘Islamists’ too!), though
most simply became Shamiya Front.
Tel Rifaat has seen months of demonstrations in support of the
revolution, demanding that the revolutionary brigades unite to face
their enemies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hEBtN-RK-Y), where the
only flags we see are FSA flags; activists in Tel Rifaat released a
statement demanding leaders resign to take responsibility for recent
defeats , leading to the deputy commander of the Shamiya Front doing
just that, in a small sign of grass-roots democracy in action
(http://syriadirect.org/news/rebel-leader-resigns-amidst-aleppo-protests/).
Not quite the kind of town that needs to be “liberated” by hundreds of
Russian air strikes (as one of the sources I posted yesterday
described).
Meanwhile, here is a charming video showing victorious YPG fighters
(well, that is if you call victory by Russian air strikes a “victory” by
the YPG) gloating over the bodies of FSA defenders of Tel Rifaat:
https://www.facebook.com/BABAMAMABOBO/posts/1118834781494675
Mare (Marea)
In fact it is still uncertain whether or not Mare – another iconic
revolutionary centre and the front-line in the war against ISIS – has
fallen to the Russian-YPG offensive or not. Some days ago, YPG sources
claimed that the local rebels had reached a deal with them. Of course
this is possible – when confronted with the dilemma “do you want to let
our Russian allies obliterate you, and Assad forces take over, or just
give up and let us take over?” Which is hardly an argument that that YOG
is carrying out a humanitarian operation. But in any case, FSA sources
claim to still be in control.
Mare is run by the Mare Operations Room. According to the very reliable
‘archcivilians’ site
(https://twitter.com/archicivilians/status/671741957706788864/photo/1),
this consists of the Suqor al-Jabal Brigade (FSA, also known as the
Falcons of Mount Zawiya Brigade, previously part of the 5th Corp), the
Fursan al-Haq brigade (FSA, now fused with other FSA groups as the
Northern Division), Liwa Ahrar al-Surya (FSA), the Fastaqim Kama Umirt
Union (FSA), and Faylaq al-Sham, the Muslim Brotherhood connected
brigade, also loosely associated with the FSA on the same ‘soft-Islamist’
wavelength as the Shamiya Front. A Wikipedia page adds the Shamiya
Front, which would seem likely. Some sources
(http://syrianobserver.com/EN/News/30384/Free_Syrian_Army_Expels_ISIS_from_Aleppo_Villages),
add the Turkmen-based Sultan Murad Brigade (FSA), and some add Ahrar
al-Sham, both of which also seem probable. No sources anywhere suggest
Nusra.
It has been the Mare Operations Room that has been signing ceasefires
with the YPG over the last 6 months of on and off skirmishes connected
to the appearance of a handful of embittered ex-FSA fighters known as
‘Jaysh al-Thuwar’ (the main non-YPG component of the SDF in Aleppo). The
last ceasefire in December called for neither side to cross into the
other side’s territories (which Jaysh al-Thuwar had done in December,
seizing four FSA-held towns, with Russian air support). It is pretty
obvious who has now broken the ceasefire.
According to this article, ISIS and the YPG are both attacking
revolutionary Marea at the same time:
http://syriadirect.org/news/is-and-sdf-each-attack-rebel-held-marea-%E2%80%9Cevery-brigade-is-striving-to-build-their-dreams-on-our-guts%E2%80%9D/
Aleppo City
As for Aleppo itself, a mega-coalition, Fatah Halab (Aleppo Conquest),
dominates here, initially set up by 31 mostly FSA brigades (all the big
ones, eg Fursan al-Haq, Divisions 13, 16 and 101, others listed above in
Mare), along with all the soft-Islamist brigades (Shamiya Front, Nour
al-Din al-Zenki, Authenticity Front, Jaysh Mujahideen, Faylaq al-Sham),
and also Ahrar al-Sham (just one of 50 brigades), but not Nusra
(http://archicivilians.com/2015/06/18/infographic-fatah-halab-military-operations-room-coalition-of-31-rebel-factions-syria/).
It was later joined by another 19 small, locally-based FSA brigades
(https://twitter.com/BosnjoBoy/status/626060428519571456). Much has also
been written about the system of local councils in Aleppo
(http://carnegie-mec.org/2015/07/08/assad-regime-s-hold-on-syrian-state/id3k),
though years of barrel bombing have no doubt made these as dysfunctional
as life is unbearable.
Nusra?
It is interesting to note that, despite the constant refrain of “Nusra”
being everywhere, this close reading of the sources suggests Nusra only
has a secondary presence in Azaz, that it may or may not be represented
at the Menagh base (and if it is, again in a very secondary role), that
it does not exist in Mare or Tel Rifaat, and that in Aleppo it is the
only militia excluded from the grand military coalition. Of course,
Nusra does exist, and operates more on its own, as well as in a separate
military front with Ahrar al-Sham (Ansar al-Saria, ie, Ahrar operates in
both Fatah Halab and in Ansar al-Sharia); and appears to be more present
further south, near the Shite towns Nubl and Zahra which the regime just
recovered.
But its relative absence is in fact no mystery: mid-last year, when
Turkey began calling for a “safe zone” along the Turkish border to
settle refugees, allegedly to include a Turkish-backed push by rebels to
expel ISIS from the region between Azaz and Jarablus – a plan blocked by
the US – Nusra was the only brigade in Aleppo to oppose this plan.
Strikingly, for a group that is often bandied about as “Turkish-backed,”
Nusra declared Turkey to be motivated only by its “national security
interests” and not by Syrian interests, declaring it to be “not a
strategic decision emanating from the free will of the armed factions,”
though the rebels “have the ability to combat ISIS -- if they unite
through means sanctioned by sharia law… without seeking the help of
international or regional forces”
(https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports/565709-nusra-withdraws-from-turkey-border).
Therefore, Nusra announced its withdrawal from Azaz, Marea, Tel Rifaat
and all the more northern and eastern regions, which have now been under
attack (thus even the first link above, which in January 2015 said Nusra
had a secondary presence in Azaz, may be old information).
In a later interview, Nusra chief Joulani explicitly declared that
Turkey’s “national security” issue, which Nusra did not want to be
involved with, was “the Kurds,” and clarified, that Nusra withdrew from
northern Aleppo countryside not to ease the way for the Turkish zone as
some had suggested, but because “we don't see it permissible to fight
ISIS under a Turkish or an international coalition air cover”
(https://t.co/3gldQBYqY9).
(As an aside: Much as I detest Nusra, this declaration actually showed a
strange political intelligence; much as I would be sympathetic to the
reasons for the entire non-Nusra rebellion supporting such a Turkish
move, it is interesting that the most reactionary organisation seemed to
have the clearest understanding that Turkey may be acting in its own
interests which do not necessarily coincide those of the Syrian masses.
So calling Nusra a Turkish-backed group has no basis. And the fact that
Nusra saw these Turkkish interests, which it wanted no part of, as being
primarily anti-Kurdish, indicates that Nusra’s hostility to the PYD is
more political (opposed to the PYD’s politics) and monopolistic (Nusra
has attacked FSA brigades far more than it has attacked the YPG), rather
than “anti-Kurdish” as such).